Residents await outcome of Cranbrook GP surgery at threat of closure

Cranbrook Medical Centre's first visitor when it opened in April 2015 (Image: unknown)

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Cranbrook residents are hoping to find out more about the future of its GP surgery which is at threat of closure due to low patient numbers, staffing problems and financial problems.

Access Health Care (AHC), which runs Cranbrook Medical Centre in Younghayes Road, has revealed it will not be extending its contract which is due to expire on March 31, 2020.

It is not known what will happen to the centre after that time, but Devon’s Clinical Commissioning Group has assured it is working on potential solutions.

AHC, which operates five Plymouth GP surgeries, as well as Cranbrook Medical Centre and Exeter's Clock Tower Surgery for the homeless and vulnerably housed, has stated the following reasons for not renewing the contract.

General Election 2019

She said: “The Cranbrook Medical Centre contract was due to expire in March and we have not renewed it beyond that date.

“That is due to staff recruitment and retention and the location of Cranbrook in relation to our other sites in Exeter and Plymouth.

“When it comes to running a GP practice there are funding issues across the country. Low patient numbers have contributed to our increasing financial problems. Some residents are registered at peripheral surgeries and we receive funding per head of the population.

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“That’s why a lot of smaller practices have changed the way they work as they can’t survive on their own and have merged with bigger practices in their area. It’s a national problem.

“It has all caused us to work in this changing direction.”

She added: “The CCG is working hard to find a solution.”

Last month, three drop-in sessions were arranged at the centre by the CCG to hear people's views.

Claire Wright

The issue is being discussed tonight, November 21, by independent Devon county councillor and parliamentary candidate for East Devon Claire Wright.

She is hosting a meeting at Cranbrook Education Campus from 7.30pm to 9pm, for residents to meet her and discuss issues which matter to them, including the medical centre.

Claire said: “Having spoken with many Cranbrook residents over the past week or so who tell me they’re concerned about inconsistent access to their local GP service, which operates from the Younghayes Centre, I contacted Access Health Care, which runs the service, and was given the reasons behind the decision.

“I was told it was the inability to expand due to the premises so it was unable to provide for the necessary population, and recruitment and retention.

Younghayes Centre Cranbrook

“Anxious that Cranbrook residents could be left without a GP service, I have emailed Sonja Manton of Devon CCG asking for assurances that a new GP service is being actively sourced and will be provided as of April 1.

“Unfortunately, this picture is all too common thanks to a decade of underfunding by the Conservative government. There are not enough GPs, or healthcare workers across the spectrum.

“GPs in particular are leaving, emigrating or retiring as a result of intolerable workloads and stress. There are significant vacancies as a result.

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“The funding per head available to GPs simply hasn’t kept pace with the people’s needs and is inadequate.”

Jo Turl, director of Commissioning (Western) at NHS Devon Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said:“Our priority is to ensure all patients of Cranbrook Medical Centre have ongoing access to local GP services.

“We are progressing a number of options and are committed to finding the right solution for Cranbrook, which includes continuing use of the current building. We are working closely with the town council and Cranbrook Strategic Board.

“All services continue at Cranbrook Medical Centre and patients should attend appointments as normal. We wrote to patients in September about this and will keep them up to date with developments.”